Tenants complain about mold

Sunday

LAS ANIMAS - Residents living in two low-income housing units provided by the Las Animas Housing Authority are frustrated over what they say is neglect from management.

Two tenants living in two separates homes said Friday that the housing authority has not treated mold problems in their window jambs correctly.

Erin Duran, 26, said she noticed mold forming on every window in her home just before she moved in on Jan. 1.

"I contacted people at the housing authority and made a list of other concerns I had shortly before I moved in. They fixed everything but the mold problem," Duran said.

Duran said the house had a bad stench coming from the mold and that it may have caused her 5-year-old daughter a skin irritation problem in her nose.

"I took her to a doctor because her nose was running and she was congested. The doctor told me that the smell of the mold could have caused the irritation," Duran said.

Duran said that after calling the housing authority several times, they finally sent an inspector to look at the problem

"He told me that there was black mold on the windows that needed to be treated. He said he would go back to the housing authority and let them know," she said.

Duran said that a maintenance worker came to her home Tuesday and treated the mold with bleach and water.

"That's not enough because I have been cleaning the mold the same way once a week. It keeps coming back and I don't think just cleaning it will fix the problem," Duran said.

Duran, who admitted she wasn't an expert in mold, said that condensation from her windows seems to be feeding the mold and that the windows should be replaced.

"Something needs to happen. It's an easy fix. The bottom line is that I want this fixed. I want it completely gone so I don't have to worry about it anymore. I don't want my kids to get sick," she said.

Another tenant, who asked to remain anonymous, said she also has mold in all of her window jambs.

"They tell me that we just need to spray Febreze (air cleaner) and clean it with bleach. They have not offered to do anything other than that," the tenant said.

The tenant has lived in her home for five years and said there have been mold problems the entire time.

The tenant said children in the home have also had irritated noses.

"You call them about a problem and they ignore it," the tenant said.

Steve Whitehill, executive director of the housing authority, said if the problem is being caused by damaged windows, he would be willing to either repair or replace them, but that it would take time.

"That would be great, but to replace the windows would be very expensive. If it can be fixed and we can afford it, then we will absolutely do it," Whitehill said.

Whitehill said that over the past six years housing programs have taken a hit from the federal government.

"We don't have the funds that we used to. And I don't think we ever got rich at this in the first place. It's been pretty tough. We are way behind when you factor in inflation," he said.

Whitehill said that a state health inspector told him that cleaning the windows should solve the problem.

"The tenant has to have some responsibility. That's part of our contract, to keep the place clean, orderly and sanitary," he said.

Whitehill denies allegations that he is ignoring his tenants.

"We help out in every way we can. I think we've tried to help them out," he said.

Whitehill said that he is always available.

"If they are trying to call me we have voice mail and, if I get a call, I usually call people back," he said.

Whitehill said that in his 16 years as director of the housing authority, he has never received a call about mold prior to Duran.

"We own 24 houses and manage 28 others. We also have more than 100 Section 8 homes that we are contracting with. This is the only complaint we have received," Whitehill said.

Whitehill said he has ordered a test kit to inspect the mold in Duran's home to see if it poses a health hazard.

"I guess the way I am thinking that if we have sent maintenance men over and an inspector over, that would seem to me that we are at least attempting to make things right," he said.

"We do try to accommodate people and we will continue to do so."

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